Spurs boss Redknapp admits interest in top job

TOTTENHAM manager Harry Redknapp has thrown his hat into the ring to succeed Fabio Capello, declaring he would find it impossible to turn down the England job.

Redknapp is the bookmakers’ favourite to take the reins if the Football Association decides to dispense with the Italian following a disastrous World Cup.

“Until he’s not the manager it’s difficult to talk about it. But I’m English, who wouldn’t want to manage England?” said Redknapp.

“There’s not an Englishman – whether it’s me, Roy Hodgson or Sam Allardyce – who would turn the job down because it’s our country and we want to manage our country. No-one is ever going to turn that job down.”

Redknapp believes the FA should appoint a homegrown candidate, insisting they would at least match the achievements of Capello and Sven-Goran Eriksson, who led England to the quarter-finals in 2006.

“We should be able to produce someone who can manage the England football team,” he said. “And let’s be honest, they can’t do any worse than what they’ve [Eriksson and Capello] done.”

The former Portsmouth boss added: “Could you imagine an Englishman managing the Italian national team? It doesn’t happen. The Germans are the same, they have a German manager.

“This guy [Capello] has a fantastic record at club level. But look, we’ve had a go with it now.”